Jeremy Cooper: Junction Hill man pleads guilty to firearms related offences

A northern NSW man was busted selling a stack of firearms for thousands of dollars to a man he first met up with at a Bunnings car park. Find out how he was caught.

Jeremy Cooper pleaded guilty to a string of firearm related charges. Generic image.

For months, a Clarence Valley man must have thought he had hit the big time, selling a stack of firearms for thousands of dollars to a man he first met at a Bunnings car park.

Little did he know, the entire time he was dealing with undercover police officers.

On Tuesday Jeremy Cooper, 29, faced Grafton Local Court where he pleaded guilty to a string of firearm-related offences, including manufacturing a prohibited firearm; unlawfully selling firearms on multiple occasions; and supplying a shortened double barrel shotgun.

He also entered pleas of guilty to possessing ammunition without holding a permit and supplying a shortened rifle.

Documents tendered to the court detail how over a four-month period Cooper sold eight firearms — ranging from shortened double-barrel shotgun to a bolt action rifle — and collected more than $16,000 in cash from a man he believed he could trust.

The Junction Hill man first arranged to meet the man — who he didn’t know was an undercover police officer — at the car park of Grafton’s Bunnings Warehouse to talk about purchasing firearms on March 15, 2022.

Jeremy Cooper outside Grafton Local Court.

“(At the car park) Cooper advised the undercover operative that he manufactures his own firearms and has access to other stolen firearms which he was willing to sell,” court documents state.

On March 25, 2022, the undercover operative messaged Cooper’s mobile phone — he was sent images of firearms and agreed to meet up and purchase one at Junction Hill that very day.

“Around 1.15pm … Cooper handed the undercover operative a firearm which he had manufactured,” police facts state.

Cooper received $800 for the single shot .22 calibre gun with a Glock pistol base.

This would be the first of many purchases over the coming months.

Jeremy Cooper pictured outside Grafton Local Court.

In certain text messages to the undercover police officer, Cooper asked if he would be “interested in 303” and he also stated he could “always get a nice. 22 rifle”, “a nice side-by-side 12-gauge shotgun” and “a really really nice over and under shotgun,” the court heard.

According to police facts, in another of the many purchases carried out at Junction Hill, the undercover operative bought a bolt action long rifle, double barrel shotgun and .38 calibre action rifle on April 13, 2022.

In another series of purchases — this time carried out at both Junction Hill’s Terry White athletics field and Grafton’s Bunnings carpark — the undercover operative purchased a bolt action rifle, single shot .22 calibre firearm, and an “old school cut down 22 target rifle” for $5250 in July.

That was his final sale as police arrested him on August 1, at Victoria St, Grafton.

On the same day the court heard police attended Cooper’s Junction Hill address where they found ammunition and gel blaster firearms.

In Grafton Local Court, defence lawyer Gregory Coombes asked for a sentencing assessment report to be prepared.

Cooper is next due to face Grafton District Court on August 7, when he will be sentenced.